By Haleh Yarmohammadi, AUSF Student Media Contributor
22 September 2026
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Omar Chaar and his teammates never knew when their next training session would take place, where they would train, or even whether they would be able to make it to practice.
Sometimes, training was scheduled for 2 p.m., but an hour before the session, the situation would change as bombing began. Roads would be blocked and some players would be unable to reach the training venue.
Still, they kept going.
“We would go to training even if there were only three or four players. We were willing to take the risk just to train and be able to prepare, even a little, for our handball games.”
For the 25-year-old Chaar, those difficult months were about more than preparing for a competition. The circumstances tested the team’s mental strength, relationships and determination to represent Lebanon at the 2026 FISU World University Championship Handball in Pessac, France.
“The fact that we were able to travel and make it there was truly a miracle and a great achievement for Lebanon.”
For Chaar, his journey to the FISU championship became a story of persistence and perseverance — not only as an athlete, but also as a student, a working professional and a team captain determined to keep moving forward when almost everything around him seemed uncertain and hopeless.
Training Amid Uncertainty
Impact of the war was not only physical.
“The war affected us a great deal in our preparation. It had a major impact on our mental health, the way we trained and the way we travelled.”
Living amidst uncertainty was unsettling and it meant that players had to stay mentally prepared for what might come. “It was really a disaster,” Chaar said.
The goal was not perfection though. They simply wanted to stay prepared enough to be able to compete.
The Journey to France Was Never Certain
Even as the team did whatever they could to find opportunities to train, whether they would be able to travel to France for the championship continued to be a concern.
Although the players had received their visas and booked their flights, they were told that their travel plans could be cancelled at any moment.
“We faced flight cancellations and so many different factors and details that made our journey more difficult. As the situation changed, it constantly affected our preparations and the way we moved forward.”
The team could not control what was happening around them. What they could control was how they responded to it.
“We were determined, and we kept going in whatever way we could.”
The players and coaches also worked to maintain a healthy relationship within the team, knowing that staying united was essential to keeping their dream alive.
For many of the students, that commitment came at a significant personal cost.
“Many of the students paid for the entire trip with their own money. We sacrificed our time, we sacrificed our money. We sacrificed our mental health and, of course, our safety as well.”
Finally, their sacrifices paid off, and the team made it to France. By simply arriving safely at the competition meant far more than anything else to everyone involved.
FISU is More Than a Competition
The last game Lebanon played in the tournament, against Argentina, was particularly important for Chaar and his teammates because, for the first time in the competition, they were able to play without the pressure and stress that had followed them throughout the tournament. They felt more relaxed and free on the court, allowing them to simply enjoy playing and show what they were capable of.
When asked about his view on the value of university sport, Chaar believes that it goes far beyond what happens on the court.
Competing at a high level can help students grow both mentally and physically. Sport has also become a source of motivation in Chaar’s studies, encouraging him to work harder academically and pursue scholarships and better opportunities.
“These competitions build strong fighting spirit and mental resilience in students — qualities they will need later in life.”
Putting Lebanon on the Map
Lebanon’s team did not travel to France simply to compete in a tournament.
The players knew that the circumstances they had faced had made their preparations difficult, but they also saw their participation as an opportunity to represent their country.
“We wanted to put Lebanon on the map,” Chaar said.
The team wanted to show the world a different side of Lebanon — not only a country known for war and crisis, but a country whose students are warm, welcoming and resilient.
Competing for Lebanon was about delivering that message.
Their presence at the FISU championship showed that even when resources were limited, preparations were disrupted and uncertainty became part of everyday life, athletes can still find a way to compete.
From School to First Division
Chaar’s determination began long before the war, and his resilience has remained a constant throughout his journey. His interest in handball started at school, where a coach noticed his potential and encouraged him to join the team. As there was no team for his age group, he began by watching the adult players train before eventually joining them and becoming a captain in his final year of school.
Today, Chaar has played handball for six years, including four years at the professional level. Alongside the sport, he studied Hospitality and Tourism Management at Lebanese American University and works in event planning and management.
A Dream That Continues
Chaar’s story is not simply about overcoming the challenges surrounding one competition.
It is about continuing his handball journey in circumstances where different challenges can repeatedly threaten to bring it to a halt.
He runs in the mornings, works during the day, trains in the evenings and, alongside all these responsibilities, remains the captain of his team. He has learned to take care of his body, manage his responsibilities and stay committed to his sport.
The war tested that commitment in ways he may never have expected. It affected the team’s training, travel and mental health, and even left their journey to France uncertain until the very last moment.
But it did not stop them.
For Chaar, the journey to the FISU championship became proof of the strength it takes to keep moving forward in uncertain circumstances.
“We are fighters. We are resilient people who keep fighting despite everything and, most importantly, continue to believe in ourselves and our dreams.”
